1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printer in which printing paper can be loaded and replaced with ease.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some known printers are incorporated in various in- and outdoor vending machines and the like and used to issue recorded papers, receipts, tickets, etc. One such printer is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-154719. This conventional printer will now be described with reference to FIGS. 15 and 16.
In replacing a printing paper 150 with a new one, the upper end portion of a unit mounting section 144b that forms a front surface of a body bracket 144 shown in FIG. 15 is pulled in the direction indicated by arrow P (counterclockwise direction). Thereupon, the body bracket 144 is swung around a pivot shaft 148 and moved to the position of FIG. 16. When the body bracket 144 is in the state of FIG. 16, holding members 151 for a rolled paper 150 mounted on a rolled paper mounting section 144a that constitutes the bottom of the body bracket 144 is situated on the upper front side, while an insertion slot 152 for the rolled paper 150 is situated on the lower front side.
In this state, the used rolled paper 150 is disengaged from the holding members 151, and a new rolled paper 150 is mounted on the holding members 151. The leading end portion of the paper 150 is drawn out and inserted into the insertion slot 152 of the unit mounting section 144b. Then, it passes through a print control unit 145 and discharged to the outside through its outlet 153.
Thereafter, the body bracket 144 is swung in the direction indicated by arrow Q (clockwise direction) and restored to its original position (FIG. 15). Subsequently, a feed mechanism is operated to cause the leading end portion of the rolled paper 150 to project a suitable length from the outlet 153, whereupon printing is enabled.
Replacing the rolled paper 150 is very hard when the body bracket 144 of the printer is in the state of FIG. 15. If the bracket 144 is swung counterclockwise around the pivot shaft 148, as shown in FIG. 16, however, the holding members 151 are situated on the upper front side, and the insertion slot 152 for the rolled paper 150 is situated on the lower front side, so that the replacement of the paper 150 is easy.
Since the print control unit 145 is attached to the front of the unit mounting section 144b, it is susceptible to external adverse effects, such as external damage, exposure to dust, etc. Further, no receiving members underlie the holding members 151. If the rolled paper 150 fails to be properly mounted on the holding members 151, therefore, it naturally falls and cannot be easily mounted again. In causing the rolled paper 150 to pass through the print control unit 145, furthermore, the leading end portion of the paper 150 is inserted into the insertion slot 152 in the unit mounting section 144b. Inevitably, therefore, the rolled paper cannot be set in the print control unit 145 with ease.